Small and medium-sized businesses contracted
by Peterborough City Council can find out how to save money and
improve their green credentials at a free workshop being held in
the Reception Room at the Town Hall, Bridge Street, Peterborough,
on Tuesday 16 November 2010 from 9am to 12noon.
The workshop is being hosted thanks to the
city council's involvement in the Supply Chain Network programme
which supports larger organisations to work with and mentor small
businesses to improve their resource efficiency and reduce their
business costs. The city council is one of four organisations in
the eastern region taking part in the programme run by Resource
Efficiency East.
The workshop ‘Developing your Business through
Environmental Management’ will focus on the business benefits of
environmental management systems. It will show how a suitable
system for the control of environmental aspects can add a
competitive advantage to a business. A suitable environmental
management system can save a company money and is proof that it is
meeting its environmental responsibilities.
Councillor Samantha Dalton, cabinet member for
environment capital, said: “The workshop will help businesses to
improve their environmental credentials which in turn will help to
build upon our growing national reputation as the home of
environment capital.
"As a council we are committed to reducing
carbon emissions by 35 per cent of the 2008/09 levels by 2014 which
equates to a reduction of 12,000 tonnes.
"This challenging commitment was adopted by
council at its meeting in April 2010 and will see the city council
leading by example within the local business community.”
The Supply Chain Network programme seeks to
work with businesses in Peterborough that are defined as a small or
medium enterprise. This means businesses that have fewer than 250
staff, have a turnover of less than £42 million and are at least 75
per cent independently owned. As part of the programme the
city council will also assess its own internal procedures to ensure
the businesses it works with are committed to reducing their impact
on the environment.
People can book their place on the workshop by
contacting Resource Efficiency East on
commercialandprocurementunit@peterborough.gov.uk or by calling
(01733) 294524.
Additional information:
-
1.
Resource Efficiency East is a specialist provider of guidance and
support on resource efficiency to small and medium sized
enterprises in the East of England. It provides services free of
charge and is funded by the East of England Development Agency and
European Regional Development Fund.
-
2.
Since the programme began in early 2009 Resource Efficiency East
has supported more than 700 businesses and identified more than £4
million worth of potential cost savings.
-
3.
Up to the end of September 2010 the Resource Efficiency East
programme had helped small businesses in the region identify
practical ways to reduce their carbon footprint by over 20,000
tonnes of CO2.
-
4.
Small businesses in the East of England supported by Resource
Efficiency East have been assisted to identify over 50,000m3 of
water use savings.
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5.
On average small businesses receiving support from Resource
Efficiency East have been shown potential cost savings of just over
£7,000 per annum.